Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Anambra State youths on Friday took to the streets and roads of Awka to protest the Senate probe and vote of no confidence passed on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris over his failure to appear before the the body.
The youths, who numbered about 2,000, came from different parts of the state carrying various banners and placards with such inscriptions as: ‘Senate should leave IGP alone’, IGP should continue with his good job’, ‘Senate should concentrate on its legislative matters’, ‘We are safer under IGP Idris’, ‘We are solidly behind the IGP’, ‘Anambra youths says no to Senate intimidation’, ‘IGP is not an enemy of democracy’, among other signs.
The youths who sang and chanted in support of the embattled Inspector General, said that the Senate should face their legislative matters and make laws that would affect the lives of Nigerians, stating that the probe of IG Idris was witch hunt because of the Dino Melaye case.
The leader of the youths and Vice President, Anambra State Youths Forum, Mr Anthony Ogbugo, said that the protest was in solidarity with IGP Idris because of what they described as an orchestrated persecution from the Senate.
“The IGP has done more than enough in the past few days. We are all aware that the notorious armed robber and kidnapper disturbing the road users traveling from Abuja to Kano State was arrested by the police and over 30 AK-47s recovered. He has arrested over 50 armed Fulani herdsmen. I don’t know why the Nigerian Senate is taking this matter personal, nobody should be above the law,” said Ogbugo, expressing support for Idris.
He went on to explain the background that inspired their demonstration:
“Last month a senator by name Omo-Agege was accused of being part of the crisis in the Senate; the police arrested him, he did not resist arrest, he was duly released and charged to court and the court has acquitted him. So, the IGP is the Chief Security Officer of the country after the President. They should allow him to discharge his duties and the Senate should be more concerned with propagating laws for Nigeria,”
“There’s criminalities everywhere, like Fulani herdsmen, Boko haram, armed robbery and kidnapping, and the IGP has been tackling them. We have a body that should discipline the IGP if he commits any offense, which is the Police Service Commission. The Senate is taking it personal by protecting Senator Dino Melaye; he is not the owner of Nigeria. The senators who we voted to go and represent us did not consult us before they said that they are giving vote of no confidence on the IGP. We, the citizens of Nigeria, we say no to it.”
“The IGP must continue his work. We want the Senate to concentrate on its legislative matters and it should allow the IGP to do his job. We would have protested to Abuja, but we said that it is good to come to the [Anambra] Commissioner of Police’s office to show solidarity to the IGP, to tell him that we are in support of him in securing the lives and property in the country, and that anybody passing a vote of no confidence on the IGP is on his own. We, the Anambra youth, say that where the IGP stands is where we stand,” Ogbugo stated.
Responding to the demonstrators, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Chris Owolabi, representing the Commissioner of Police, commended the youths for their solidarity support and promised to pass their message across to the IGP, stressing that Anambra State the peace and order of the state should be sustained.
“We are commending you for your support and we shall take your message to the appropriate quarters. Anambra State is a peaceful state and we continue to work hard to sustain the security of the state. Don’t be discouraged, police is working hard to keep society safe. So, if you agree with me and you want the IGP to continue in office, I want to urge to you to disperse peacefully without causing any traffic jam in the city,” Owolabi said in support of the protest.
These are the lazy idle youth the Baba was referring to.
Hmmmm………… this is laughable as Anambra people are known as money mongers and everything is possible once money exchange hands. These protesters are ignorant of the country’s road to anarchy which the APC lead government has created in the country today experiencing killings every where in the 36 states of Nigeria, harassing and intimidating people once you go against their policies and using police to actualize their evil act in every part of the country yet this money mongers youths who has nothing else to do went about protesting against the law makers of the country.
Does it mean Anambarian youths are all blind that they have not seen what has gone wrong in APC and Buhari lead administration? if some past leaders like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who convinced his people and his colleagues – the Ex- Generals to support Buhari during 2015 general election which brought Nigeria delima today is crying foul and working hard to see that Nigerians vote him out of that seat then, why can’t lay man (youth) in the street of Anambra support the move let alone the IGP who is instrument of destruction in Buhari lead government.
You proclaimed youth of Anambarian who choose to protest against the Nigerian Senate on their over sight function did not see anything wrong the so called Mr. Idris (IGP) caused during operation python dance jointly carried by both Nigeria Police force and Nigeria Army in the Eastern part of Nigeria where you come from. Nawa for you ooooo the acclaimed youths of Anambra. This same IGP you’re supporting whose office was instructed to move to Benue state could not carry out the instruction and when he was force to resumed duty in Benue state he was bold to report he saw no problem other than communal war between the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen. This unfortunate youths should not bring bad name to the entire Igbo land and Nigeria youths.
Always live up to expectation Sun News paper as public want you to be umpire and report balance news so do not be partial in your reporting. This is just a word of advise.
sycophants . IGP should be aware that he is not above the law , senate has the right to invite any person including the president whether past of present of the federation if need be for questioning , we see it oversea happening , these youths vagabonds must have taken some money from a bigger sycophant close to IGP for his political reason .
Jobless and Useless youths, The IGP is the major cause of all this killings happening in Nigeria, he’s incompetent and deserve to be sack.
God bless Nigeria
How much did they pay u all to do these